jeff phillips
05-25-2010, 12:12 PM
I am beginning work on a new dining room table, and I am looking for some advice on flattening the top.
Overall the table will be about 72"x40" with the grain running lengthwise. It will be all quarter sawn red oak.
I'll admit, this is not going to be a 100% hand tool project... maybe 50%. Its a bit of a learning experience in that on each project I do, I tend to try something new with hand tools to increase my comfort level and proficiency. The big thing on this one, going to be flattening the top. I am not sure of the correct procedure.
First I was going to clean up each board so I can see the grain and decide which face to use, I was going to target getting them close to eachother for their thickness, but not exact as I would think I would waste too much of the wood thickness by essentially planing it twice.
Cleaning up the boards first will also give me a flat refence face so that I can use biscuits and edge glue the boards together to get my slab.
Once the slab is glued up, I need to flatten it. I'm not sure if I use a jack at this stage, or my #8. In the past for much smaller slabs I have run my jack diagonally across the slab until flat, then lengthwise to clean it up, and finish off with the #4 smoother. In thise case, am I better to use the jack for the diaganol strokes and the jointer to go with the grain, or do I use the jointer for both stroke directions? This is where I really start getting hung up.
Also, how do you guys deal with workong on that big of a slab? It will be difficult to reach all the way accross for the diaganol strokes. For the lengthwise strokes do you take shorter strokes, or would you just walk it down the length?
Thanks for the help.
Overall the table will be about 72"x40" with the grain running lengthwise. It will be all quarter sawn red oak.
I'll admit, this is not going to be a 100% hand tool project... maybe 50%. Its a bit of a learning experience in that on each project I do, I tend to try something new with hand tools to increase my comfort level and proficiency. The big thing on this one, going to be flattening the top. I am not sure of the correct procedure.
First I was going to clean up each board so I can see the grain and decide which face to use, I was going to target getting them close to eachother for their thickness, but not exact as I would think I would waste too much of the wood thickness by essentially planing it twice.
Cleaning up the boards first will also give me a flat refence face so that I can use biscuits and edge glue the boards together to get my slab.
Once the slab is glued up, I need to flatten it. I'm not sure if I use a jack at this stage, or my #8. In the past for much smaller slabs I have run my jack diagonally across the slab until flat, then lengthwise to clean it up, and finish off with the #4 smoother. In thise case, am I better to use the jack for the diaganol strokes and the jointer to go with the grain, or do I use the jointer for both stroke directions? This is where I really start getting hung up.
Also, how do you guys deal with workong on that big of a slab? It will be difficult to reach all the way accross for the diaganol strokes. For the lengthwise strokes do you take shorter strokes, or would you just walk it down the length?
Thanks for the help.